Rotary engine.



0; oomsitd'bK.

ROTARY ENGINE.

. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 28, 1904. RENEWED JUNE 25, 1909. 1,01 6,-129 Patented Jan. 30, 1912.

0'. GOMSTOGK ROTARY ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED DEG. 28, 1904. RENEWED JUNE 25, 1909.

1,016,129. Patented Jan. 30,1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I 1 I j )"4 '14 a 5 Q 7 W J I R p 6 '11. 0H1 a J J17 i I J. J6. E E: i 1

sf Ti???" I? 57/ P1 2/ J F i E aM/UWM COLUMBIA FLANOGRAFH CO.,WASHINGTON, D. C.

G. GOMSTOGK.

ROTARY ENGINE. IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 9.

1,016,129, Patented Jan. 30, 1912 s EEEEEEEEEEEE a.

F J i 3 Z I A COLUMBIA I'LANOGRAPH 1:u.,\\u\s lllllll lll c.

CHARLES COMSTOCK, OF WESTESTOCKBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS;

ROTARY; ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 30, 1912.

Application filed December 28, 1904, Serial No. 238,604. Renewed June 25, 1909. Serial No.1504,887.

To all whom it may concern Be 1t known that I, CHARLES Cousroox,

a citizen of the United States, residing at- Vest Stockbridge, in the county of Berk-1 shire and State of Massachusetts, have in-: vented certain new and useful Improve-i ments in Rotary Steam-Engines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to improvements in rotary steam and air engines, and pertains more particularly to that class known as steam expansion engines, and in which I use two or more pistons on the same shaft in combination with atmospheric pressure en-v gines, using vacuum in aiding the rotation of the pistons in both types of the same mechanism.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1, is a perspective view of my improved engine. Fig. 2, is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the engine showing the construction of the valve, and the arrangement of the pistons within the cylinders showing the packing abutments engaging the sides of the pistons. Fig. 3, is a transverse vertical sectional view of the live steam chamber, showing the steam exhaust, taken on line a'0c, of Fig. 2, and showing the packing abutments carried by the pistons. Fig. 4, is a transverse vertical sectional view of the expanded steam cylinder, showing the piston being acted upon by the exhaust steam from the live steam chamber, and also showing the packing carried by the piston. Fig. 5, is a side view of the pistons showing the relative positions of the two pistons when the live steam piston is exhausting and the piston within the expanding cylinder is being acted upon by the exhaust.

Referring now to the drawings, A represents a base which as shown, may be either screwed or bolted to the place to which a device of this character is to be applied. The base A has mounted thereon the cylinder B which as shown, is cast therewith, but could be made as a separate part and held thereon in any desired manner. The said cylinder as shown, is cast in a single piece and provided with a divisional plate C which as shown, is cast as a part thereof. The said divisional plate C as shown, is out of the center thereof, thus making a small live steam chamber D and a large expansion chamber E which is adapted to receive which are either bolted or screwed thereonand are provided with central outwardly extending hubs G and G which are provided with horizontal openings 9 and g. Passing through the said openings in the heads and through the opening 0 in the plate C, is a horizontal shaft H which has at its outer ends on the outside of the cylinder, the balance wheels I and I which as clearly shown, are spaced away from the cylinder for the purpose hereinafter more fully described. The said shaft H within the cylinder, is provided with two or more pistons, but preferably two, J and J, and as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, they are arranged differently thereon for the purpose of having the expansion chamber E receive the expanded steam from the live steam chamber D and working the cylinder as shown in Fig. 4 while the live steam chamber is exhausting, as shown in Fig. 3. The said pistons as shown, are locked upon the shaft by keys 7' and j, and said pistons are of the shape shown and the outwardly-extending portions 7' and 7' normally fit close to the inner circumference of the cylinders as the same revolve, and are provided with out- Wardly spring-pressed bearing strips K and K which extend all the way across the pistons, and form a steam tight connection with the cylinder, yet allowing the pistons to freely revolve. The cylinders J and J as shown, are provided with the gradually outwardly enlarged portions forming an elliptical shaped piston which is adapted to engage the inner walls of the cylinders and the construction of the same will cause the abutments to be gradually raised and lowered and thus prevent pounding of the same. The pistons on each side are provided with circular recesses k in their outer faces which are provided with beveled inner faces'lc and fitting within said recesses are circular packing L which are provided with beveled inner faces L corresponding with the beveled faces 79 of the recess k. Said packing rings being sprung within the recesses, it will be readily seen that the tendency of the same will be to ride out of the recesses and bear firmly against the sides of the cylinder, thus forming an air-tight connection between the side of the cylinder and the piston, thus obviating the use of stufling boxes around the shaft H.

The upper ends of the cylinders are provided with recesses M and M communicating with the enlarged piston chambers D and E, and in which are pivoted the swinging abutments N and N, which are inde-' pendently movable and adapted to be moved outwardly by the engagement of the piston therewith, the piston being so constructed as to prevent pounding of the abutments, as hereinafter more fully described.

As is understood, the live steam is only admitted to the live steam chamber through the opening Q, which as shown is within the recess M, and communicating with said opening Q is an enlarged transverse opening Q which has rotatably mounted therein the hollow valve R which is provided with a packing therearound. The said valve has an opening 7- at its upper end, communicating with the supply steam pipe S, and said valve also is provided with an opening 7" which communicates with the opening Q in the recess M of the cylinder. The said valve R as shown, extends out beyond the cylinder and is provided with a sprocket wheel 9, and the shaft H is also provided with a sprocket wheel 9, which is of the same diameter as the sprocket q, and passing over said sprocket is a chain T, and thus it will be seen that the piston and valve are driven at the same rate of speed, and the steam is admitted within the live steam chamber during a partial rotation of the same. The opening Q and 1" in the cylinder are so proportioned that the same register during a quarter revolution of the valve, and thus the steam is admitted to the live cylinder during a quarter revolution and the other half revolution to the exhaust portis operated by the expansion of the steam.

The exhaust port T has communicating therewith a pipe U which extends upwardly and is connected to the inlet opening V of the expansion chamber E. The said opening enters at or within the recess M and thus the exhaust steam is admitted and is operating upon the piston J when the live cylinder is exhausting and this is only dun ing a quarter revolution of the piston J.

In order to absolutely prevent a dead center, whereby the engine would have to be started by hand, I provide the steam supply pipe S with a bypass pipe 1 which extends down and enters the live steam chamber D at 2, and by means of which steam may at any time be admitted in the said cylinder. A stop-cock or valve 3 is carried by the pipe 1, and thus the steam is cut off or turned on at will. By means of this construction, it will be seen that if the piston J should stop at a point as shown in Fig. 3, or at any point wherein the valve R is shut off, the engine would have to be turned by hand until the valve was opened again. Then the engine is stopped at any point, as herein stated, steam may be admitted through the by-pass pipe 1 and the piston J will be operated 011 by the same. Should the piston J be in the position shown in Fig. 3, the live steam will pass around the piston and out through the exhaust T and would enter the expansion chamber E. V hen the piston J is in the position shown in Fig. 3, the piston J is in the position shown in Fig. 4, and thus the live steam would engage said piston J and operate the same, and cause the valve to move around by means of the chain heretofore described until the same was open, and the piston J had been rotated past the swinging abutment, and thus the engine would work in the usual manner and the steam would be cut off at the bypass pipe 1.

The rotating valve R as before described, is hollow and is provided with a sliding cut-off rod 4 which is adapted to slide longitudinally therein and close the openings "7* and 4", thus stopping the engine. The valve R is provided with an outwardly extending annular flange 5 which is held within the opening Q by means of a flange-nut 6 carried by the outer face of the cylinder head F, and thus the valve is free to rotate, but cannot move longitudinally thereon. The outer end of the valve R is provided with a stutling box 7 which forms a steam-tight connection with the cut-ofl rod 4. Extending laterally and horizontally from the face of the cylinder head F, is a rod 8 which has pivotally connected thereto the upwardly extending lever 9 which has an opening therein through which passes the cut-off rod 4, and said rod is provided with a circumferential groove 10 which allows the same to freely rotate. The said rod 8 is provided with a rack-bar or segment 11, and operating therewith is a pawl or catch 12 by means of which the lever 9 may be held in its adjusted position with the steam either wholly or partially cut off or turned on, and thus the speed of the engine can be regulated and the engine stopped at will.

The expansion chamber E is provided with an exhaust 13 and is also provided with a pipe 14, by means of which steam and lubricant may be forced within the cylinder for lubricating the same. The hubs G and G are provided with oil-cups 15 and 16 for lubricating the journals. The pipe 14 is provided with a valve 14 which has connected thereto an arm 15 and 16 which has its lower end in engagement with the cam P and so arranged that the valve 14 is open to admit lubricant when the cylinder E is exhausting. The rod 16 passes through a guide 17 carried by the end of the cylinder. Connecting said guide and the arm 15 is a coil spring 18 which normally holds the rod 16 down upon the arm P.

In order to increase the power of my engine and at the same time using the same size cylinder, I provide a vacuum arrangement for exhausting the air back of the piston, and thus increasing the power of the engine. I accomplish this by providing the cylinder adjacent the exhaust ports with pipes 20 and 21 which lead to a vacuum chamber which may be located at any place adjacent the engine, and said tank is preferably connected with a vacuum pump and thus there is always a vacuum caused in said pipes 20 and 21. The said pipes are provided with turning plugs 22 and 23, which have connected thereto the intermediately pivoted arms 24 and 25 which are pivoted to the brackets 26 carried by the ends of the cylinder and the outer end of said arms are in engagement with the cams P and P and said cams are so arranged upon the shaft H that the valve 22 is opened at a point when the piston commences to be acted upon by the steam, and remains open until the piston has passed or is about to pass the said vacuum pipe 20, when the same is closed and the exhaust steam passes from the cylinder through the pipe U to be expanded again in the cylinder E. The pipe U having an automatic swinging valve 27 which is adapted to be opened by the exhaust steam as it passes out, but adapted to be closed by any backward pressure caused by the vacuum in the other chamber. The pipe 13 is also provided with a corresponding valve 28 which acts in the same way as the valve 27. By this structure, it will be seen that for a part of each revolution of the piston there will be a steam pressure on the front of the piston, and a vacuum behind the same, thus greatly increasing the power of the engine.

I provide the second and third cylinders with openings so that an inrush of air may enter the cylinder after the exhaust steam is exhausted, and thus there would be an inrush of air on one side of the piston and a vacuum on the other side. By this structure, the engine can be used with steam only, with steam and vacuum, and also with an atmospheric pressure caused by the inrush of air.

The cam P revolves in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, and is so arranged upon the shaft H that the valve 22 is closed when the piston J has reached the position shown in Fig. 3, and thus after the piston has passed the exhaust opening T- the exhaust steam is allowed to pass from the high pressure cylinder to the lowpressure cylinder. The said exhaust steam continues to pass therein from the high pressure cylinder until the piston J therein has reached the position of the piston J shown in Fig. 4, when the valve 22 will be opened and the vacuum in front of the cylinder automatically closes the valve 27 and prevents the exhaust steam from being drawn from the low pressure cylinder and aids in the rotation of the piston J. When the point K of the piston reaches the opening 21, the valve 22 is closed, and after the point K reaches the exhaust opening T, the exhaust steam is acting upon the piston J, as shown in Fig. 4.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A rotary engine, comprising two or more cylinders, pistons within the cylinder and mounted upon a single shaft, a rotary valve in communication with one of said cylinders, and a pipe communicating with said cylinder at the side and extending up and communicating with the upper end of the other cylinder.

2. A rotary engine, comprising two or more cylinders, pistons within the cylinder and mounted upon a single shaft, a pipe conveying the exhaust steam from one cylinder to the adjoining cylinder, and an automatically-closing valve within said pipes and opened by the exhaust pressure.

3. A rotary engine, comprising two cylinders of different dimensions, pistons within the cylinders, swinging abutments within said cylinders, a rotary valve in communication with the smaller cylinder, a'by-pass pipe communicating with the steam supply pipe and passing around the valve and communicating with the smaller cylinder, and a pipe conveying the exhaust from the smaller cylinder to the larger for operating on the piston therein.

4. A rotary engine, comprising two cylinders, pistons therein, a rotary hollow valve in communication with one of said pistons, and a sliding cut-ofi within said hollow valve.

5. A rotary engine, comprising two cylinders, pistons therein, a rotary hollow valve in communication with one of said pistons, a chain driven by the piston for rotating the valve at the same rate of speed, and a sliding cut-ofi' within said hollow'valve.

6. A rotary engine, comprising two cylinders, pistons therein, a rotary hollow valve in communication with one of said pistons, a chain driven by said piston for rotating the valve at the same rate of speed, a sliding cut-oif within said valve and a lever for operating said cut-ofi'.

7. A rotary engine, comprising two cylinders, pistons therein, a rotary hollow valve in communication with one of said pistons, a chain driven by said piston for rotating the valve at the same rate of speed, a sliding cut-off within said valve, a pivoted lever having said cut-off connected thereto but free to rotate, and means for holding said lever in its adjusted position.

8. A rotary engine, comprising two cylinders, pistons therein, a rotary hollow valve in communication with one of said pistons, a chain driven by said piston for rotating the valve at the same rate of speed, a sliding cut-off within the said valve, a pivoted lever having said cut-off connected thereto, but free to rotate, a segment ratchet adjacent said lever, and a spring catch carried by the lever and adapted to engage said ratchet segment.

9. A rotary engine, comprising two cylinders arranged side by side, pistons within said cylinders and arranged upon a single shaft, the exhaust of one cylinder acting as the supply of the other cylinder, and the pistons so arranged in respect to each other that the live steam will either be acting upon the high pressure piston or passing around the same and acting upon the piston in the low pressure cylinder.

10. A rotary engine, comprising two or more cylinders, pistons within said cylinders and mounted upon a single shaft, means for using the exhaust of one cylinder for operating the piston within the other cylinder, and a vacuum arrangement for exhausting the air in front of the pistons.

11. A rotary engine, comprising two or more cylinders, pistons within said cylinders and mounted upon a single shaft, means for causing the exhaust of one cylinder for operating the piston within the other cylinder, a vacuum arrangement for exhausting the air in front of the pistons, and means operated by the shaft for timing said vacuum arrangement whereby the same is in force during a partial rotation of the piston.

12. A rotary engine, comprising two or more cylinders, pistons within said cylinders and mounted. upon a single shaft, means for admitting steam to the cylinders during a partial rotation of the shaft, means for con veying the exhaust of one cylinder for operating the piston within the other cylinder, a vacuum arrangement for exhausting the air in front of the pistons during the admis sion of steam, means operated by the shaft for timing said vacuum arrangement and the exhaust of said cylinders having swinging valves adapted to be opened by the exhaust and closed by the vacuum.

13. A rotary engine, comprising a cylinder, a piston therein, a rotary hollow valve in communication with the cylinder, means for rotating said valve at the same rate of speed as the engine shaft, a sliding cutoff within the valve, and a lever for operating said cut-ofl.

14. A rotary engine, comprising a cylinder, a piston therein, a rotary hollow valve in communication with the cylinder, means for rotating said valve at the same rate of speed as the engine shaft, a sliding out-off within the valve and rotating with the same, and a lever for sliding said cut-0E within the valve during the rotation thereof.

15. A rotary engine, comprising two or more cylinders, pistons within the cylinder and mounted upon a single shaft, a rotary valve in communication wit-h one of said cylinders, pipes conveying the exhaust steam from one cylinder to the adjoining cylinder, and an automatically closing valve within said pipes and opened by exhaust pressure.

16. A rotary engine, comprising two or more cylinders, pistons within the cylinders and mounted upon a single shaft at different positions, a valve for admitting steam into one of said cylinders, pipes communicating with said steam supported cylinder, and con-' veying the exhaust steam from the cylinder to the adjoining cylinder, and an automatically closing valve within said pipe and opened by the exhaust steam to allow the same to pass to the adjoining cylinder.

17. A rotary engine, comprising two cylinders, pistons within said cylinders, and mounted upon a single shaft, a pipe conveying the exhaust of one cylinder to the ad joining cylinder, an automatically closing valve within the pipe and adapted to be opened by the exhaust, vacuum pipes in communication with the cylinders, means operated by the shaft for allowing the said vacuum to operate upon the pistons during that part of the stroke when the steam is acting thereon, and means for cutting off said vacuum when the cylinders are exhaustmg.

18. A rotary engine, comprising two cylinders, pistons therein mounted upon a single shaft, the exhaust of the first cylinder operating upon the second cylinder, an exhaust pipe in communication with the second cylinder, and a vacuum pipe in communication with the exhaust side of the second cylinder.

19. A rotary engine, comprising two cylinders, pistons within the cylinders and mounted upon a single shaft, a steam inletpipe in communication with the first cylinder, the exhaust of said cylinder operating the other cylinder, and a vacuum pipe in communication with both of said cylinders at the exhaust side thereof.

20. A non-condensing rotary engine, comprising two cylinders, pistons within the cylinders and mounted upon a single shaft, a steam inlet pipe in communication with one cylinder, and an outside vacuum arrangement for rotating the second piston connected to the exhaust side of the cylinder intermediate its inlet and outlet ports.

21. A rotary engine comprising two cylinders, pistons within the cylinders and mounted upon a single shaft, a steam supply pipe in communication with the first cylinder, an exhaust pipe in communication therewith, a vacuum pipe in communication with the first cylinder at the exhaust side thereof, and an air inlet, and vacuum pipe in communication with the second cylinder.

22. A rotary engine, comprising two cylinders, pistons within the cylinder and mounted upon a single shaft, a steam supply pipe in communication with the first cylinder, an exhaust pipe in communication with the cylinder and conveying it tothe adjoining cylinder, a vacuum pipe in communication with the first cylinder, an exhaust pipe in communication with the second cylinder and a vacuum pipe in communication with the second cylinder at the exhaust side thereof.

23. A rotary engine, comprising two cylinders, pistons therein mounted upon a single shaft, the exhaust of the first cylinder operating the second cylinder, a vacuiun pipe in communication with the first cylinder at the exhaust side thereof, an exhaust in communication with the second cylinder, and a vacuum pipe in communication with the second cylinder.

24. A rotary engine, comprising two cylinders, pistons therein mounted upon a single shaft, the exhaust of the first cylinder operating the second cylinder, an exhaust in communication with the second cylinder and a vacuum pipe in communication with the second cylinder at the exhaust side thereof.

25. A rotary engine, comprising two cylinders, pistons within said cylinders and mounted upon a single shaft, a pipe conveying the exhaust of one cylinder to the adjoining cylinder, an automatically-closing valve within the pipe and adapted to be opened by the exhaust pressure, a vacuum chamber adjacent said cylinders, pipes communicating with the chamber and the cylinders adjacent the exhaust, valves within said pipes adjacent the cylinders, cams carried by the engine shaft, and means operated by the cams for opening said valves in the vacuum pipes after the steam has exhausted.

26. A rotary engine, comprising two cylinders of different dimensions, pistons within said cylinders and mounted upon a single shaft, a steam supply pipe for the larger cylinder, a pipe conveying the exhaust of the larger cylinder to the smaller cylinder, an automatically-closing valve within said pipe and opened by the exhaust pressure, vacuum pipes communicating with the cylinders adjacent the exhausts, valves within said pipes, means operated by the pistons for causing the vacuum within the pipes, cams carried by the engine shafts, intermediately pivoted levers having one end connected with the valves and the opposite ends in the path of the cams. v

27. A rotary engine, comprising two cylinders of difierent dimensions, pistons within said cylinders and mounted upon asingle shaft, a pipe conveying the exhaust of one cylinder to the adjoining cylinder, automatically-closing valves within the pipe and within the exhaust of the second cylinder and adapted to be opened by the exhaust pressure, a vacuum chamber adjacent said cylinders, a pipe communicating with the chamber and the cylinders adjacent the exhausts, valves within said pipes and adjacent the cylinders, cams carried by the engine shaft, intermediately-pivoted levers having one end connected to the valves and the opposite ends in the path of the cams whereby the valves are opened and allow the vacuum to work after the steam has exhausted.

28. A rotary'engine, comprising a cylinder, a piston therein, means for admitting steam back of said piston during a part revolution thereof, means for exhausting the air in front of the piston, means operated by the engine shaft for timing the exhausting of said air and an automatic check valve controlling the exhaust.

29. A rotary engine, comprising a cylinder, a piston therein, means for admitting steam back of said piston during a part revolution thereof, means for exhausting air in front of the piston, means operated by the piston, for exhausting said air, and means operated by the engine shaft for timing the exhausting of said air, and an automatic check valve controlling the exhaust.

30. A non-condensing engine, comprising a cylinder, a piston therein, an exhaust and inlet ports in said cylinder, and said cylinder having an element containing a vacuum in communication therewith intermediate the exhaust and inlet ports.

31. A non-condensing engine, comprising a cylinder, a piston therein, an inlet port in one side of the cylinder, an exhaust port in rear of the inlet port, said cylinder having an element containing a vacuum in communication therewith intermediate the inlet and exhaust ports and adapted to pull upon the piston while the steam is operating upon the opposite side.

32. A non-condensing rotary engine, comprising a cylinder, a piston within the cylinder, an inlet port in one side of the cylinder, an exhaust in rear of the inlet port, means connected to the piston and in time therewith for opening and closing the inlet and exhaust ports, and said cylinder having an element containing a vacuum in communication therewith intermediate the inlet and exhaust ports.

33. A non-condensing rotary engine, com prising a cylinder, a piston therein, an inlet in one side of the cylinder, an exhaust port in rear of the inlet port, means connected to the piston and timed therewith for controlling the inlet and exhaust ports, and said cylinder having an element containing a vacuum in communication therewith in termediate the inlet and exhaust ports and a valve controlling the vacuum and operated and timed with the piston.

34.. A non-condensing rotary engine, comprising a cylinder, a piston therein, an inlet port in one side of the cylinder, an exhaust port in rear of the inlet port, means operated by and timed with the piston for controlling the inlet port, automatic means for controlling the exhaust port, said cylinder having an element containing a vacuum in communication with the cylinder intermediate the exhaust and inlet ports, a valve controlling the vacuum, an intermediately pivoted lever carried by the cylinder and having one end connected with the vacuum valve and a cam operated by the piston and adapted to engage the opposite end of the intermediately pivoted lever and timed with the piston to open the vacuum when the steam is operating upon the opposite side thereof.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES COMSTOCK.

Witnesses:

JAMES S. MOORE, MICHAEL E. TROY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained. for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

